Two decades after his debut film Yeh Mohabbat Hai (2002), actor Rahul Bhat is making a comeback with a love story with an untitled film co-starring actor Dia Mirza. The project is currently being shot in Nainital, Uttarakhand, and its surrounding areas.
Last seen in the OTT series Black Warrant, the actor reflects on his filmography. “Strangely, most of my films have been in the dark zone with intense roles. Ugly (2013), yet-to-release Keneddy and my Hollywood debut film Lost & Found which went to Cannes (Film Festival), Doobaaraa (2020) which went to the London Film Festival — they all have widely travelled across the globe but were in different genres. A love story was just not happening,” he says.
The actor is thrilled that it is finally happening. “Everyone used to ask me, ‘when will you do a love story?’ and I used to wonder: koi to karwa lo. It’s an evergreen genre that I love! I am happy it is happening, and all I can reveal for now is that it is a mature love story where I am working with Dia, who is an eternal beauty, an amazing actor and great human being who works so much for the environment and other causes,” he says.
The film is directed by Indo-German filmmaker Kanwal Sethi, known for the Hindi film Once Again starring Shefali Shah, Neeraj Kabi and Bidita Bag. “He has made a lot of German films and beautifully weaved in soulful and mature exploration of love and human emotions. We landed here on October 24 and are shooting in and around Nainital and also in Jim Corbett National Park. The schedule will end on November 20,” Bhat reveals. The film has been produced by Kovid Gupta and Sanjay Gulati.
The year saw the release of his OTT series. “It is turning out to be a fantastic year. I shot for the Hollywood film Lost & Found during Mahakumbh and in Europe. Black Warrant went off well and we are in talks for the second season. I have also shot for Madhur Bhandarkar’s film The Wives and two OTT series. We are hoping that after making waves in the festival circuit, Kennedy too will get a release date soon. Next month-end, I am starting another project, so God is kind,” he says on a signing off note.
